Well he's played for his country in another sport, so if he's good enough to play for Wales in RL if nothing else it would be good in terms of getting publicity, as at least the Welsh public would know who he is.

And to be honest, from the point of view of selling Wales RL to the Welsh public, is having an ex-RU player walk into the team any less credible than having a team packed with blokes with Yorkshire, Lancashire or Australian accents?

Well he's played for his country in another sport, so if he's good enough to play for Wales in RL if nothing else it would be good in terms of getting publicity, as at least the Welsh public would know who he is.

And to be honest, from the point of view of selling Wales RL to the Welsh public, is having an ex-RU player walk into the team any less credible than having a team packed with blokes with Yorkshire, Lancashire or Australian accents?

In my eyes, yes it is less credible. At least those Yorkshire, Lancashire and Australian accents will be eligible under the rules and have more RL experience than Powell will ever have. Why not put Max Boyce in the squad. I think he might be Welsh and the Welsh rugby public will have some idea of who he is.

In my eyes, yes it is less credible. At least those Yorkshire, Lancashire and Australian accents will be eligible under the rules and have more RL experience than Powell will ever have. Why not put Max Boyce in the squad. I think he might be Welsh and the Welsh rugby public will have some idea of who he is.

But Powell might turn out to be a decent player. We don't know yet. If Wigan are about to sign him, they must've spotted some potential in him.

As for Max Boyce, sorry to say but I think at the age of 67 I think his time might just have passed (although I believe Warrington have been keeping an eye on him).

In my eyes, yes it is less credible. At least those Yorkshire, Lancashire and Australian accents will be eligible under the rules and have more RL experience than Powell will ever have. Why not put Max Boyce in the squad. I think he might be Welsh and the Welsh rugby public will have some idea of who he is.

If Powell was bobins and got in then you would have a point, but IF he is playing, has learnt the game and plays outstandingly well then what is the issue here? it seems the fact that an RU player learns to play RL so quickly (though we dont even know if he will) would be an issue.. its not some can adapt some cannot, if he is one that can then that is great and it would have a big impact on Wales as he is known, for good or ill, by most of the population there.

For one reason or another Wales were unable to grasp the opportunity that te 95 world cup presented but IF they were to have a good run, a good few performances and with some high profile "stars" backing them then this could be a great opportunity. There are a few present RU internationals who played amateur RL in the past, there are some high profile names in RU in Wales that have RL links, if they can exploit these along with someone like Powell playing well then this could be their opportunity to really kick on.

London Broncos centre Michael Channing has admitted that it’d be a dream come true to play for Wales at the Millennium Stadium this Autumn.

Channing qualifies to play for Wales through Welsh grandparents on his mother’s and father’s side and has already represented the Dragons on two occasions, featuring in defeats to France and Wales in last year’s Autumn Internationals series.

And now, having played an integral role in the Broncos’ 26-12 victory away at Castleford Tigers on Sunday afternoon, the 20-year-old says he is desperate to take his representation to the next level and play for Wales at Rugby League World Cup 2013.

"I’ve never been fortunate enough to play at the Millennium Stadium, but hopefully I can realise that ambition this year," Channing told LoveRugbyLeague.com.

"I’ve watched a few union games there as a youngster so I know how fantastic the venue is, and I knew right from the start that I always wanted to play there."

Wales’ clash with Italy forms part of the double header Opening Ceremony at the stadium, alongside England’s mammoth showdown with Australia, on Saturday October 26.

"It doesn’t get much bigger than being a part of an Opening Ceremony for such an important tournament. It’d be mad if I was able to take that chance.

"I can’t really imagine what it’d feel like, but I know that I want to be a part of it."

Wales have been drawn alongside USA and Cook Islands in Group C and the three teams will battle for the solitary qualification spot available for the knock-out stages.

"I rate our chances of progression to the next stage of the competition," said Channing.

"I’m not for a second suggesting that our group stage opponents won’t be competitive because they’ll be fired up, but I think we’ve got a great side together.

"We just want to win our group, but beyond that I think it’s difficult to speak too much about targets. We can’t get too carried away with what’s in the long term, and risk overlooking what’s in front of us."

And Channing believes that this year’s Wales squad has the potential to be stronger than it’s been in a number of years.

"There’s some decent competition for places in that squad so I know I’ll have to be playing regularly and playing well for London to secure my spot.

"Consistency will very important and I know that I need to impress Iestyn Harris in the Super League this season.

"We’ve got a lot of people coming through, so the standard is going to be high, which is what you need in your squad if you want to be successful.

"It’s an exciting year for me as a Welsh international and it’s a big goal of mine to play at Rugby League World Cup 2013."

Tickets are now on sale for RLWC2013, with 55% of tickets priced £20 or less. To make sure you will BE THERE buy now at www.rlwc2013.com or call our 24 Hour Ticket Hotline on 0844 847 2013.

Channing qualifies to play for Wales through Welsh grandparents on his mother’s and father’s side and has already represented the Dragons on two occasions, featuring in defeats to France and Wales in last year’s Autumn Internationals series.

How poor would it make RL in Wales look if a former Welsh RU international walks straight into the WC squad after a handful of league matches?

It would not make RL in Wales look poor, it would boost the game by providing the team and the game with an experienced, high profile international that will deliver the game in Wales more publicity in Wales than it had before.

RL has a player base less than 1% of the size of that of RU. It is a no brainer that a player like Powell, who HAS played RL as a junior with Cardiff Demons, would walk straight into the Wales RL team. Powell's wiki entry describes his style as one that would suit RL:

Powell has an unusual style of number 8 play. He is known for his high body position going into contact, which he has been criticised for, as this body position can often lead to turnovers,and many believe that he tries to take on too much responsibility himself with ball in hand.

As the most important season of international Rugby league prepares to kick off in Canberra, it can be revealed a member of one of Australia’s most famous footballing families is about to outdo his illustrious father and uncles.

Sydney Roosters star Daniel Mortimer has made himself available for Wales. If he plays in the tournament jointly hosted by the Welsh this year, he’ll be the first member of his family to take part in a World Cup.

While having Peter Mortimer for a dad, plus Chris and Steve as uncles, may be somewhat daunting for a young Rugby League player, Daniel will soon in all likelihood be able to boast he has achieved something they didn’t.
The closest any of Canterbury’s favourite sons got to a RLWC was in 1986, when Chris played in a Test that doubled as a qualifier for the 1988 World Cup final, which was a stand-alone match.

“Daniel has mentioned something to me about playing for Wales,” Mortimer’s agent, Steve Gillis, told NRL.com. “I would say discussions are at an early stage. He has to make the team first.”

Gillis wasn’t sure how the former Parramatta five-eighth qualified for Wales but it’s understood to be via the grandparent rule.

Rugby League’s Commonwealth expansion initiative has entered new territory following an exploratory visit to Sierra Leone by a joint Wales Rugby League-Rugby League European Federation delegation. WRL’s National Development Manager Mark Jones and RLEF General Manager Danny Kazandjian returned from a week in the West African country to investigate opportunities for the sport to make a lasting impression there.

“Sierra Leone was an experience of a lifetime and the memories will be etched deeply forever,” said Jones. “From the moment we touched down we were treated like royalty. Throughout our hectic week we met so many extraordinary people whose enthusiasm for sport is unbridled and their generosity unrivalled. All the students in the schools and universities we visited are very excited about the introduction of rugby league and our trip culminated with the first session at a local beach.

“The impromptu match highlighted the talent the country possesses and bodes well for the future. After returning to Wales I felt humbled that a nation with so little was able to give us so much. The poverty in that part of Africa is evident wherever you go and the only thing holding back the development of sport is the access to facilities and equipment.”

The visit, part of the sport’s project to expand into virgin territories of the Commonwealth following recognition by the Commonwealth Games Federation in 2011, was part-funded by the Welsh Assembly’s Wales-Africa Community Links organisation and will see Wales Rugby League build a community revolving around rugby league - but incorporating education and health elements - in partnership with peer groups in the capital, Freetown.

The trip included meetings with local government officials, media and educational institutions. The delegation received the blessing of the Sierra Leone National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Education, while the response from the local schools was extremely positive.

“We’d like to thank Wales-Africa Community Links for supporting this project,” said Kazandjian. “The sport is keen to create a cluster of West African nations and, following the first steps that have been taken in Ghana and Nigeria, Sierra Leone is a welcome addition. Mark and I met with unabridged enthusiasm wherever we went and it is now our responsibility to put together a plan that will enable a technical team to head back to Freetown to conduct training courses for the locals.

“Facilities were limited, but we were expecting that, and a number of places we visited have projects to create their own grass fields. The NOC was extremely positive about the project and we will be able to introduce rugby league in several institutions, including the one university that trains the country’s sports teachers.”

Rich in mineral deposits, Sierra Leone, rated the world’s poorest country in 2000, is recovering from a bloody ten-year civil war that ended in 2002.

Wales Rugby League is looking to send out playing kit, balls, cones and football boots in any condition to Sierra Leone. Please contact mark.jones@walesrugbyleague.co.ukto organise collection.

400 local primary school children will be swapping a day in the classroom to tackle the rugby pitch with the North Wales Crusaders as part of Give & Gain Day 2013, taking place on Friday 17 May.

50 volunteers from local businesses will be helping out coaches and teachers for the event. Various companies are also donating fruit, sandwiches and drinks on the day. The project is part of Business in the Community’s (BITC) Give & Gain Day, the UK’s only national day of employee volunteering, where businesses are urged to give back to their local communities. BITC has joined forces with North Wales Crusaders and Wrexham County Borough Council to organise this event.

Hanna Clarke from the North Wales Crusaders says, “NWC are excited to be involved with Give & Gain Day here in Wrexham. All primary schools in Wrexham have been invited to the event. The day will consist of various Rugby League activities. It is an opportunity to get the sport out into the community and with the Rugby League World Cup coming to Wrexham in November it is an ideal time to capture the children’s interest in the sport. Some of our players will also be taking an active role by assisting the coaches in the day’s activities’’

She adds, “We have had a great response from the local business community with various companies sending volunteers and providing goodies for the children to take away at the end of the day. North Wales Crusaders will be donating a FREE child ticket to all those children attending on the day for the next home game after the event against Gloucestershire All Golds on June 2nd.”

Dr Jenny Hunt, Vice President of Ipsen Biopharm Ltd, a biotechnology company operating on the Wrexham Industrial Estate and a major employer in the area said “we are delighted to have a number of company volunteers participating in the Give & Gain Day event. Ipsen employees are actively engaged in Business in the Community initiatives and we pride ourselves on being able to support the local community in this way”.

So far, over 450 volunteers from 20 companies across Wales have committed to taking part in Give & Gain Day 2013. Businesses signed up include, Lloyds Banking Group, Finance Wales, Ipsen Biopharm Ltd and HLN Architects. Employee volunteers will be helping out on projects at schools, community groups and housing associations, doing everything from transforming a playground, painting a hall, to delivering a sports day for children.

Give & Gain Day encourages thousands of people across the globe to spend a working day volunteering for good causes in their local community. Since 2008, over 60,000 people in 31 countries around the world have taken part in the annual event.

Give & Gain Day 2013 in Wales is sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group, RCT Homes and Quicksons, in association with Cardiff Blues and Sport.Cardiff. Give & Gain Day is dedicated to getting thousands of employees out of the office, store or factory to volunteer in their local communities. By making volunteering fun, accessible and inspirational we want to make it something that all businesses give their staff an opportunity to do in work time.

How poor would it make RL in Wales look if a former Welsh RU international walks straight into the WC squad after a handful of league matches?

Seriously? How long an apprenticeship did Jonathan Davies have to serve, or going further back John Bevan, or John Mantle, or Jim Mills, or Colin Dixon, or Billy Boston? He shouldn't play just because he is a RU international - he could be another Terry Holmes for all I know - but if he is good enough he should play.

Seriously? How long an apprenticeship did Jonathan Davies have to serve, or going further back John Bevan, or John Mantle, or Jim Mills, or Colin Dixon, or Billy Boston? He shouldn't play just because he is a RU international - he could be another Terry Holmes for all I know - but if he is good enough he should play.

Terry Holmes had injury problems, but never doubt that he was a very good player who, had he been brought up in RL, would have been a "great".

We got eighteen months out of him and an insurance payout. Not great business admittedly, but we have done worse.

Like it or not, this could be very good for the WC in Wales. How many Welsh people may possibly go to the opening game just because he is playing. Just think about all the headlines, reports and media interest he will generate in Wales leading upto the opening day games.

Edited by jacksy, 23 April 2013 - 04:43 PM.

Rugby Union the only game in the world were the spectators handle the ball more than the players.

Former Wales star Scott Quinnell believes Andy Powell will fit in well with Wigan after switching codes to rugby league for the next chapter in his career that starts in May.

Powell has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Wigan Warriors, joining them from Aviva Premiership side Sale Sharks, and could feature for Wales at Rugby League World Cup 2013.

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan said Brecon-born Powell, who nearly joined the Crusaders when they were in Super League two years ago, would fit into his role with the Warriors in the same way that Quinnell did when he made the move to Wigan in 1994.

Quinnell, 40, whose uncle is Welsh legend Barry John, said: “Andy will be a fantastic attribute for them. He has all the skills and the attributes to be a wonderful rugby league player. He gets across the gain-line and is dynamic."

And, said the former Wales number eight, Powell will find the Wigan fans will make him feel welcome.

“Wigan is a fantastic club and not just the staff but the fans as well. They understand the game and back their side one hundred per cent. He has been living up north for a couple of years now so it's just a change of direction when he walks out of his house from Manchester to Wigan.”

Cross-code switches from Union to League are notoriously difficult for players to adapt and learn how the game is played, but League is a code that Powell has said in the past to enjoying and wanting to try at the top level.

And with the World Cup five months later, Quinnell thinks Powell will be oiled and ready to take on the Italians in Wales' first game at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on October 26.

“He has five months and he will be fine,” said Quinnell, who played 39 times for Wigan after his switch from Llanelli RFC.

“He might find it difficult going into a different environment and to understand the intricacies of rugby league. The hardest part is running backwards ten metres after each tackle. But I think he will do well and Wigan will help him in every way they can.”